Sullivans Cove is Hobart’s central waterfront, curving from Macquarie Point around Hunter Street and Constitution Dock towards Salamanca. It remains a working port as well as a public, cultural and dining precinct.
A settlement imposed on Country
The British settlement moved to the cove in 1804 on the land of the muwinina people. The shoreline was progressively reclaimed, streams were enclosed and wharves pushed into the river. Present streets conceal much of the original cove.
Walk the changing shoreline
Hunter Street began on Hunter Island before reclamation joined it to the town. Constitution Dock and Victoria Dock retain small-vessel activity, while Salamanca’s sandstone warehouses record nineteenth-century trade.
A working waterfront
Fishing vessels, ferries, Antarctic ships, events and port operations all use the precinct. Stay outside fenced work areas, keep clear of loading zones and cross cycle paths carefully.
Walk the cove with Hunter Island, the Maritime Museum and Battery Point. Major events can close roads and change access, so check City of Hobart notices before a special visit.